Gas turbine carburetion systems are typically directed to the sole function of mixing fuel and air in the proper combustible proportion for various power settings and ambient conditions and supplying the mix to the combustion chamber or burner cans in a combustible stream. The combustion chambers or cans experience extreme heat, which requires them to be constructed of or lined with high-temperature resistant metals. This adds cost and weight to the engine, and in the case of extremely small engines, such as a turbojet engine for model aircraft, the cost and weight penalty makes the engine impractical for that use.
In appreciation of these problems, the present invention is directed to a carburetion and combustion system in which the combustion flame pattern is contained away from the walls of the combustion chamber and a boundary of un-combusted air flow along the chamber walls provides an insulating layer against combustion heat. This allows the combustion chamber to be constructed of light-weight, inexpensive materials such as aluminum. Other advantages will be apparent from the description which follows.
This invention has been developed and tested primarily in conjunction with small-scale turbojet engines for model aircraft, where the need to achieve lower cost, simplicity and light weight is imperative to make such engines practical. The applications and benefits of the invention extend beyond small scale engines, and can be adapted to larger scale for stationary and portable power units, aircraft auxiliary power units, drone propulsion engines, or full size aircraft.